Computer ABC, or cool tricks

[Weblate]

Maybe Linux and macOS users would like the Edge browser?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/download?form=MA13FJ

[RustyNova]

Eww.
Get that thing off my face! Disgusting!

[Weblate]

First aid for Windows problems

Two commands:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

and

sfc /scannow

Source:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e

[Weblate]

There is no single, definitive answer to the “total terabytes of the internet” because the internet’s size is constantly growing and changing. However, estimates suggest that the total volume of data generated and stored globally reached approximately 181 zettabytes by 2025, with a zettabyte being equal to one trillion terabytes. Some major companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook are estimated to store at least 1,200 petabytes (1.2 million terabytes) of data between them alone, a figure that excludes the vast amount of data held by other servers worldwide.

• Total data generation: As of 2025, the amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed worldwide is projected to be around 181 zettabytes.
• Calculating the total: To put this into perspective, 181 zettabytes is equal to 181,000,000,000,000 terabytes (181 trillion terabytes).
• Data from major companies: Major online storage providers like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook together store at least 1,200 petabytes, or 1.2 million terabytes.
• Constant growth: The total size is not static. For example, one estimate predicted the amount of data generated in 2025 would be 34 zettabytes larger than in 2024.

[Weblate]

Something between a notebook and a desktop.

A mini PC (or miniature PC, nettop, Smart Micro PC, NUC) is a small-sized, inexpensive, low-power, legacy-free desktop computer designed for basic tasks such as web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video playback.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_PC

[Weblate]

I ran my collection of 16k+ MP3 files through Picard twice.

The only difference in the settings was the Preferred Releases.

I’m only interested in the tags: Artist and Title.

I exported the filenames with the full path each time.

I compared the two lists and got a changes.txt file. I’m sharing it on my Google Drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wHUOiaNAalfY-4jgzAAtKrKkU24Wzc5W/view?usp=drive_link

This method helped me learn about new recordings and possible database errors.

I’m pasting a snippet of that list here.

Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1993 - Live Debut '93 (Bootleg)\15. Bjork feat. PJ Harvey - Satisfaction.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1993 - Live Debut '93 (Bootleg)\15. Bjork - Satisfaction.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\01. Bjork - Human Behavior.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\01. Bjork - Human Behaviour.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\02. Bjork - The Harbour.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\02. Bjork - Atlantic.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\10. Bjork - There's More to Life Than This.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\10. Bjork - There's More to Live Than This.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\15. Bjork - The Harbour.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1994 - Violently Live (Bootleg)\15. Bjork - Atlantic.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1998 - Emotional Landscapes (Bootleg)\14. Bjork - Joga (Howie B. main mix).mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1998 - Emotional Landscapes (Bootleg)\14. Bjork - Joga (Howie B main mix).mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1998 - Emotional Landscapes (Bootleg)\15. Bjork - All Is Full of Love.mp3
Unknown:\dyskografie\Bjork\Bootlegs\1998 - Emotional Landscapes (Bootleg)\15. Bjork - All is Full of Love.mp3

At first, I thought the English word “behavior” was misspelled, that some editor had made a mistake.

However, it turned out to be “American vs. British.”

[Weblate]

Have you calibrated your screen to better recognize cover arts?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/learning-center/how-to-color-calibrate-your-monitor

[Weblate]

You can remove shortcut arrows from Windows 11 icons by editing the registry, using a third-party tool like Winaero Tweaker, or by using a batch file. The registry method involves navigating to a specific key and creating a new string value, while third-party tools and batch files offer automated solutions.

Method 1: Edit the registry

This video demonstrates how to remove arrows by editing the registry:

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.
4. Right-click on Explorer, select New, then Key, and name it Shell Icons.
5. Inside the Shell Icons key, right-click on the empty space in the right pane, select New, then String Value, and name it 29.
6. Double-click on the 29 string value and enter %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-50 in the Value data field.
7. Click OK, close the Registry Editor, and then restart Windows Explorer by finding it in Task Manager, right-clicking, and selecting Restart.

Method 2: Use a third-party tool

This video demonstrates how to remove arrows using a third-party tool:

1. Download and install a tool like Winaero Tweaker.
2. Run the program and navigate to the Shortcuts > Shortcut Arrow section.
3. Select the “No Arrow” option and click “Restart Explorer” to apply the changes.

Method 3: Use a batch file

This video demonstrates how to remove arrows using a batch file:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy and paste the following code into the file:
   reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons" /v 29 /t REG_SZ /d "%windir%\System32\imageres.dll,197" /f
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
3. Save the file with a .bat extension, for example, remove_arrows.bat.
4. Right-click the file and select “Run as administrator” to execute the script.

[Weblate]

VB-CABLE is an Audio Driver working as virtual audio cable.
All signals sent to the device output is going on the device input.

https://vb-audio.com/Cable/index.htm

One of the uses of Virtual Cable:

[Weblate]

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/home.aspx

From here you can download any patch for Windows, e.g. KB5070311

You can also search the latest build, e.g. 26200.7309

[14Super60pa]

Thanks for mentioning the MU Catalog. For those of us who are choosing to use older versions of Windows, https://www.windowsupdaterestored.com/ is a project for accessing Win 9X, 2000 & ME updates, and it’s sister project https://legacyupdate.net/, which can be used on XP and newer. Both of these projects are free, but do consider donating as their work is very useful. Do note that both of these projects don’t offer updates that aren’t Microsoft, so these projects don’t make an EOL Windows any securer than a fully updated install of that Windows version. And as always using a EOL Windows version is a risk (although imo, it’s better than the slopware of modern Windows)

[Weblate]

I agree with some sentences, and disagree with some.

[Weblate]

Hardware firewall - additional computer protection